Test Kitchen: Vegetable Paella

Midterm week for Boston University! It happened to be a slow week in the Test Kitchen due to exams. Although it was a small turnout for the cooking portion of this week’s recipe, there was a large turnout for trying the recipe! Many students enjoyed a study break to stop by the test kitchen and give vegetarian paella a taste.

What we loved:

  • The flavors and the ingredients!
  • This recipe was absolutely delicious and made you feel as if you were visiting Spain.
  • Making extra makes for wonderful leftovers.

Things to note:

  • This recipe is very lengthy. Although it’s highly worth the delicious dinner, it does take time and many pots, pans, and cleaning. Save this recipe when you have a long afternoon/evening to cook! It’s not meant for a quick dinner idea.

The nutrition:

  • Many health benefits from all the vegetables!
  • Antioxidant properties from the onion and garlic
  • Vitamin A from tomatoes
  • Healthy fats from olive oil and olives
  • Fiber and whole grains from the brown rice
  • Fiber and protein from the chickpeas

The recipe:

Vegetable Paella
Recipe modified from Cookie and Kate
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, chopped fine
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes (preferable fire-roasted variety), drained
2 cups short-grain brown rice
1 15-ounce chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
3 ⅓ cups vegetable broth
½ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled (optional)
1 14-ounce can quartered artichokes or 1 jar (12 ounces) marinated artichokes, drained
1 cup (approximately 2 carrots) sliced into 1-inch coins
1 cup fresh green beans
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus about 1 tablespoon more for garnish
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup frozen peas

Directions:

  1. Arrange oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, making sure that you have ample space between the two racks for a Dutch oven. You’re going to need a large Dutch oven (preferably 6 quarts/11 to 12 inches in diameter or bigger or a large skillet with a snug-fitting oven-safe lid.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350⁰. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in your Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the garlic and paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until the mixtures begins to darken and thicken slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook until the grains are well coated with tomato mixture, about 1 minute. Stir in the chickpeas, broth, saffron (if using) and 1 teaspoon salt.
  4. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cover the pot and transfer it to the lower rack in the oven. Bake, undisturbed, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 50 to 55 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. On the baking sheet, combine the artichoke, carrots, green beans, chopped olives, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, ½ teaspoon of salt, and about 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper. Toss to combine, then spread the contents evenly across the pan.
  6. Roast the vegetables on the upper rack until the vegetables are tender and browned around the edges, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the vegetables cool for a few minutes. Add ¼ cup parsley to the pan and the lemon juice, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
  7. For optional socarrat (crispy bottom—beware that you might have to scrub burnt bits from your pot later if you do this): Uncover the pot of baked rice, transfer it to the stovetop and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, rotating the pot as needed, until the bottom layer of rice is well browned and crisp.
  8. Whether you do the socarrat or not, sprinkle the peas and roasted vegetables over the baked rice, cover, and let the paella sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley (about 1 tablespoon) and serve in individual bowls, with lemon wedges on the side.